Tag Archives: healing

Hey everyone! Throughout the month we have been challenging our followers across ALL social media platforms to take a step outside of their comfort zone and truly think about what it means to “Be the change we wish to see in the world” and in case you didn’t already know, the change is different for everyone!

To help us continue the positivity that has taken over social media, we’re now challenging you to begin that change with a random act of kindness, and don’t worry, it’s a lot easier to get involved than you thought! Below we have listed TONS of easy ways that you can make a huge difference is someones day or even their lives!

Pay for someone’s Starbucks drink. If you’re anything like the girls in the office, you can’t go a day without your morning coffee! When you’re passing through the drive-thru, give the barista an extra $5 to use towards the next person’s purchase and we guarantee that you will start a city wide phenomenon!

Help carry groceries. We’ve all seen someone walking out of the grocery store with arms full of bags or even walking up to their dorm or apartment trying to make it all in one load. Lend a hand and ask them if they could use some help getting to their door!

Tip big. Anyone who’s ever worked in the restaurant business knows that there are definitely slow nights. You never know what your waiter or waitress is working hard to make happen so make somebody’s day by tipping them a little extra to show that you really do appreciate their service.

Welcome new neighbors. Moving into a new home is stressful! Make the move a little easier and bring your new neighbors a home cooked meal or a pitcher of fresh lemonade to make them feel welcome and at home.

Walk the dogs. If you see someone walking their pets in this summer heat (especially someone elderly) offer to walk a their pet for them so that they can get inside and out of the sun, or walk with them so that they aren’t alone and enjoy the company!

Pick up your trash. Wherever you are, make someones life a little easier and take 5 seconds to pick up your trash when you’re on your way out.

Support a friend unexpectedly. Moments, big or small, in anyone’s life can mean a lot to someone! Surprise a friend by showing up at their sports game, performance, or special event to show you care. P.S. you may get extra brownie points if you make them a sign and a cool drink!

Help pick up belongings that someone dropped. No matter where you are, dropping all your things is embarrassing! Take a second to stop what you’re doing and help them gather their things if you ever see this happening near you.

Share coupons. Raise your hand if you LOVE couponing! If you have extra coupons that you won’t use leave them in the grocery store aisle with the product for someone else, or hand them to the person behind you if you see that they have items that go with the coupons.

Hold the door open. Call us old fashioned but this small act goes a long way! In a crowded space, let others walk through the doorway while you hold the door for them.

Buy someone’s vending machine treat. Grab and envelope and tape money or coins to a vending machine (or leave your change) so that the next person to use the vending machine has their treat covered.

Leave a note for the mailman or UPS delivery man. It’s the little things that go unnoticed more often than they should! Say thank you to the person that delivers your mail and packages every day to show that their services are recognized and appreciated.

Leave a positive comment on someones social media. Whether you just comment to tell them that you like their outfit, or that their hair looks good, or even that it’s just a really cool picture – bring the positivity to social media! You never know how much a positive comment could mean to them!

What is there to wait for?! Get moving with your acts of kindness and share them with us using #LTBTC and #MMFRAK

I came across a very interesting statistic while doing some research on bullying recently. The article, originally written in 2011 by author Michael Miller, informs us of the 5 states where bullying occurs the most often in the U.S.

For clarification purposes, we should first give a formal definition of the term “bullying.” Bullying is defined as the “physical, verbal, or psychological attacks or intimidation against a person who cannot properly defend himself or herself. It includes two key components: 1. Repeated harmful acts. 2. Imbalance of power.”

Before reading on and hearing what states the act of bullying occurs most often, I would challenge you to think on your own for a moment and consider your most educated guess. Do you think it is relative to the north or the south? The east or the west? Could it be your very own home state?

One thing that we are all sure of is that bullying occurs in every state in the U.S. With that said, here is the list of 5 most frequent in our country:

California

New York

Illinois

Pennsylvania

Washington

It is important to point out that this data is recorded based on percentage of bullying incidents per state in relation to the total population, not necessarily the total number of examples overall (otherwise, states like Texas and Florida would crack the top 5).

You may asking yourself “does data that was collected in 2011 still apply today in 2015?” The image below is a much more up-to-date infographic which depicts, among other things, the worst states to live in for bullying K-12 in the U.S. (you’ll notice a consistent trend – look at the top right).

Raising awareness, while at the same time publicly expressing displeasure with the way particular state(s) are handling their bullying issues, is a great way to go about change. Nobody wants to say that they live in a state on the list of the top 5 worst of anything, so hopefully we can continue to make strides as a society as we head into the future.

ST LOUIS – OCTOBER 25: Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees reacts while speaking at a press conference announcing him as the recipient of the Hank Aaron Award before the start of Game Four of the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 25, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Whether you are a fan of professional baseball or not, you’ve probably heard the name “Derek Jeter” before. Jeter was the face of Major League Baseball for 20 seasons beginning in 1995 and recently ending in 2014, all with the New York Yankees.

Unlike so many other athletes who have publicly taken a stand against bullying, Jeter never experienced bullying of any sort (direct bullying or cyberbullying) growing up or at any other point in his life. Regardless, his feelings on the issue cannot be taken lightly.

Shortly after becoming a professional ballplayer in 1996, Jeter founded the Turn 2 Foundation, a charitable organization established to promote healthy lifestyles among youth. Helping children overcome drug and alcohol addictions while rewarding academically achieving students are just a few of the contributions that have been made over the last two decades.

Needless to say, the world we live in today in 2015 is a much different place than it was in 1996. The way humans interact with each other, particularly through the use of cell phones and social media, has really changed the way we live our lives.

On Thursday morning (June 18), Jeter announced that he has become an investor in Stop!t, who aims to put an end to any form of bullying or harassment through the use of electronic devices. Their mission statement is as follows:

“STOPit is a simple, fast and powerful solution to report inappropriate behaviors, deter unethical or illegal activity, and mitigate financial and reputation risks to schools and corporations.”

In a statement shortly after the announcement, Jeter said: “The Turn 2 Foundation is dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential, and bullying is an obstacle that stands in the way of that for too many. By working with Stop!t, we hope to empower both bystanders and victims to put an end to bullying. This is a critical step in creating a clear path to academic and personal success for all students, and sends a message that bullying in any form is unacceptable.”

It’s truly refreshing to see some of the most iconic and recognizable names in our society taking a stand and making a difference when it comes to bullying/cyberbullying. The future is looking bright as long as we continue to raise awareness.

With your help, we can make a difference. Help end the fight against bullying. Join the conversation using the hashtag #StopBullying and #BeTheChange.

For years now, we have known about the dangers of bullying for teenagers all around the world. Unfortunately, we have learned that bullying and cyberbullying are a part of the daily life for many students growing up in our school systems.

What we as a society tend to overlook is the bullying in public schools versus the bullying in private schools. For the most part, everything that we hear in the media (television, social media, etc.) is based on public school systems… but what about private schools?

To answer this question, a long five-year (2010-2014) survey was conducted. Roughly 185,000 students from both public and private schools participated in the study to help raise awareness on social trends. Here is what they found:

Anti-bullying policy was enforced more at private than public schools.

According to the survey results, bullying was taken a lot more seriously in private schools than public schools, with 45% of public school students reporting anti-bullying policies compared to 59% of private school students reporting the same. The most logical answer for this is typically private schools are smaller with more funding, whereas public schools are larger and have less freedom to implement new policies as they please.

Private school students are more “accepting” of their peers than public school students.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “homosexual and bisexual teens are more likely to report bullying, along with students having disabilities.” 47% of private school and only 36% of public school students who are viewed as “different” report being accepted in their environment. It’s fair to say that demographics plays a role in these trends, as public school students are much more diverse (52% white, 24% Hispanic, 16% black, 8% other) than private school students (72% white, 10% Hispanic, 9% black, 9% other).

Peer pressure is the same, no matter where you go to school.

Surprisingly, 50% of students in both public and private schools claimed peer pressure was a problem in their environment. One observation that can be made based on these results is that peer pressure in public schools has more to do with making friends and “fitting in” while peer pressure in private schools has more to do with competitive academics.

Social scene trends are more apparent in public schools.

Public schools tend to be more cliquey (52% of students say) than private school students (only 38%). This may be because private schools generally have smaller class sizes and fewer social groups compared to the larger class sizes and more social circles that fill a public school.

So what does this all mean?

The biggest takeaway you should have after reading this is that bullying is evident in every school, no matter public or private, although there are different factors to consider for each.

With your help, we can make a difference. Help end the fight against bullying. Join the conversation using the hashtag #StopBullying and #BeTheChange

Over the last 10-15 years, society has started to realize some of the serious consequences that bullying can have on a person’s life. We know that victims face greater challenges than the typical individual in the short-term (for example, graduating high school), but what about the long-term?

About a week ago, Discovery News wrote a piece on a study done by the journal Lancet. They concluded, among other things, that “children who have been bullied are more likely to have mental health struggles later in life than children who are mistreated by adults.”

The study of 5,446 children surprisingly suggested that maltreatment by adults led to no more adverse effects suffered later in life than kids who hadn’t been maltreated. On the other hand, children who were bullied were far more likely to have mental health issues later in life compared to those who had not.

Taking a closer look, the study revealed some surprising information about children who were bullied alone:

“Children who were bullied by peers only were more likely than children who were maltreated only to have mental health problems … with differences in anxiety … depression … and self-harm,” the study said.

One valid argument against such findings is that children spend more time around bullies than they do abusive parents.

The study was wrapped up with this important note:

“Being bullied by peers in childhood had generally worse long-term adverse effects on young adults’ mental health. These effects were not explained by poly-victimization. The findings have important implications for public health planning and service development for dealing with peer bullying.”

Although the truth is disturbing, it’s refreshing to see people take the initiative to educate themselves while raising awareness for others in the process. With continued studies and research on bullying, we can be confident that the world will be a better place for our youth as we move towards the future.

With your help, we can make a difference. Help end the fight against bullying. Join the conversation using the hashtag #StopBullying and #BeTheChange.

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While exploring the internet lately, we couldn’t help to notice the powerful message the Greenhille High School students were delivering to their student body. As seniors, the class of 2015 was fed up with the way that their own peers were treating each other and decided to take a stand. In case you missed it….

We would like to acknowledge our friend Kaisee Perkins for this blog post “To Feel or Not To Feel”. Thank you for sharing with us Kaisee!

To feel or not to feel? That is the question. A couple of words that I think people need to understand. The first one being empathy, a word that is used to describe the ability to understand and to share feelings. The second being sympathy, a word that is used to describe a feeling of pity and sorrow for someone’s misfortune. For those that have been bullied, was there a time which you felt like you were in search of empathy? I know there was to me.

Bully, bullied, bullying, these are such strong words. But they get over-used way too much. A second grader sitting in class throws his hand up in the air, “Teacher! He won’t let me use his crayon, he’s bullying me!” The teacher gets up walks to the table and administers discipline to the child who wouldn’t give the other kid the crayon. The boy, hollering at the teacher, got his way. Was that boy, the one who didn’t give the other the crayon a bully? Once again, over used. These three words bring a problem to my eyes.

Walking through the halls of high school, a senior waits before the bell in a different classroom than the one she is supposed to be at. The bell rings, then rings again. She walks out of that class room, late to class, into the classroom she should be in.

(You are probably puzzled.)

This senior was told to not be in the hallways with a certain person. This SENIOR had to avoid even eye contact with a particular person. Why you may ask? Well, after this senior was accused of several different things, she was investigated. All investigations led to no findings. Nothing happened to the accuser except for the ongoing use of what I would consider power.

Not everyone understands those three words. It hurts.

People who have been in those situations where they were the victim, cry for help. They reach out for understanding too. They want to be heard! They go to speak and they are told they are crazy, to shut up, to just….drop it. They are crying for someone’s EMPATHY not someone’s sympathy.

We are told to get over it, its life, it happens to everyone. We are pushed and pushed to get over something that is so hard to overcome. We need help. If we aren’t alone, then why is empathy so hard to come by? Empathy IS our help.

I close in saying, YOU are not alone in anyway. Whether it is YOUR FAITH, YOUR FAMILY, or even just EMPATHY (a cry for help), YOU are not alone. So, there’s just one thing I would like you to think about? Should we feel or Should we not feel?

So many of us see this time of year as a rebirth, a chance to truly start over and accomplish all that we have dreamed. Here at the Megan Meier Foundation there are many things that we are professionally and personally resolving to achieve in the new year and hope that, along side with you, we can grow as individuals and together end bullying, cyberbullying and suicide while creating a healthier and more accepting world.

1. Stop posting anything negative on social media. Whether it is about yourself or someone else, anything we put online is there to stay and posting something negative while we’re in the heat of the moment might seem tempting at the time but if it’s really that bad, is it something we want to remember when it pops back up in a few years? We didn’t think so.

2. Stop resenting yourself. We’re serious about this one. Unless you’re Beyonce, every single on of us has their flaws. No matter your age, gender, size, color, we are all individually unique and that’s something we should embrace as time passes. Not resent.

3. Cross something off your bucket list. Even if that means doing something that you’ve dreamed of since you were five. DO IT. There is no better feeling than accomplishing something that you have waited your whole life to do! Just remember to enjoy ever second of it.

4. Smile at strangers. You’ve heard it said time and time again; you may never know what demons someone is battling on the inside. Even something as simple as saying “hello” to someone as they pass you could brighten their entire day.

5. Keep a journal. There is no better way to remember your experiences and memories than to write them down. No matter how silly, complex, heartbreaking, or exciting they may be; WRITE IT DOWN. Being about to look back at the end of the year and reflect on ever high (and low) is a great way to visually see how much you have accomplished and overcame.

6. Strengthen your relationships. With your moms, dads, brothers and sisters, friends, ex’s, WHOEVER it is. There is no point in wasting the energy resenting someone for something you probably don’t even remember. Forgive and forget and lets try to move forward. At the end of the day, these are the people who are going to be there for you, lets try to make a better effort to respect them too.

7. Face your fears. Spiders, heights, answering phone calls from your mom… we all have something that keeps us from living our lives to the fullest. Let 2015 be your time to break free from their chains and live your life without fear.

8. Turn off your phones. Seriously just turn it off. Unplug for a day. The day I realized I forgot my phone while I was heading to work and knew I wouldn’t be heading back until much later was probably the most attentive day of my life. Look up from the screens and pay attention to what is happening around you. You’ll be impressed at what you will see.

9. Pay it Forward. You know that extra change you got from the vending machine? Leave it there. The car behind you in the drive through line? Spare a few dollars to pay for theirs. What goes around comes back around and it’s better to be generous while we can.

10. Write yourself a letter. There is nothing I loved more than when my freshman year English teacher made us write letters to ourselves to read when we were seniors. Looking back on things that I thought were a big deal and then realizing it wasn’t, people who came into my life and now no longer had a place; it might be a little bitter sweet but it is the coolest experience to look back on our biggest (or smallest) moments.

11. Break bad habits. You’d be amazed at how much we could change about ourselves if we just changed one simple thing. Whether its eating too much fast food, staying up too late, or tweeting too often, there is always something that we can improve on. And let me be the first to tell you: small steps are progress too.

12. Speak louder. Let your voice be heard. So you care about something? Work for it. You like someone? Tell them. Shout it from the mountain tops and make sure that everyone knows. Life is too short and unpredictable to let your opinion go unheard. Don’t let society tell you differently.

13. Get awesome at something. You know all those things that you pin on Pinterest? All the things that you told yourself one day you would try? You should get to it. Let it be cooking, hiking, or heck even knitting… try it! You’ll never know if it’s your secret talent until you try! P.S. If you’re good at cooking… feel free to let us all know

14. Stop being afraid. Don’t let the magazines tell you what you should wear. Or your classmates tell you what you should be doing. Or even of yourself. Have the confidence to go in the direction of your dreams. Wear the things that make you feel good and do the things you’ve always had your heart set on. Just because someone isn’t okay with it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be.

15. Get comfortable with being by yourself. Let your freak flag fly (and don’t let someone else take it down). There’s no fun in pretending to be someone or something you’re not so don’t waste the time. Be who you want to be, when you want to be it.

16. Wake up earlier. We all have the same hours in a day a Beyonce, we might as well try to keep up. Even if the bed is begging us to stay.

17. Be okay with things going wrong. If you guys are anything like me, everything has a time, a place and a way it should be done. And if it’s not… well you don’t want to know. When things don’t go the way they’re planned, take a second to breathe, you never know what could come of it.

18. Try something new. If things aren’t working, it’s probably time for a serious change. Don’t be afraid to do things a little differently. Get creative and get inspired.

19. Focus on YOU. Everyone needs a little “me” time. Unplug and really focus on what you want and how you’re going to achieve it. It’s more than okay to be a little selfish sometimes.

20. Forgive more. It doesn’t matter if it’s another person, a situation, or even yourself. There is so much energy tied up in holding on to grudges and resentment when (let’s face it) it’s gonna be easier to just let it go (Que Elsa). Let go of your anchors. You’d be surprised on how much energy you’ll have to focus on other things…. Like crafts.

21. Cherish every second. 2014 was just the warm up babycakes. This year is the real deal, don’t waste a single minute of it. Push yourself to (healthy) limits and enjoy it.

Times may get hard, but that doesn’t mean we have to keep it that way.

Wishing you all the best,

The Ladies of the Megan Meier Foundation

We’d love to hear back from you! Feel free to comment with your own resolutions for the New Year!

“You came to my school and very possibly could have saved my life. I was going through some tough times with bullying and such but since your visit, I feel like I’m ok again. I’m doing better in school, getting ready to graduate, and have a wonderful relationship with my family and friends. Thank you, you do such lifesaving and heart touching work. I just wish someone like you had been there for your daughter like you were for me.”

– Allie S

#ThinkActChange #LiveCampaign

It has been said that only the ideas that we actually LIVE are of any value. Today we challenge you to think of who you have the opportunity to inspire with your life and choose to LIVE in front of them, refuse to watch from the sidelines. Become a major player by partnering with Megan Meier Foundation as we inspire our children to LIVE.

“Hi, I was searching for stories and ways bullying impacts people, and came across this page. Here is my story.

On November 23, 2012 I was at the mall with a friend when a group of kids from my school came up to me threatening me. They eventually left me alone, so I thought.. Later that night they came back, drug me into a store’s dressing room and begin to curse at me, then dragged me outside where they called me names and then started hitting me, video taping it. The video was everywhere and everyone knew. I was humiliated, I didn’t go to school after because I didn’t want to face them, only to make things worse I got charged with truancy..

In April of 2013 I was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and ADHD then also put into counseling, and things were very awkward at first.. I lost all my friends and became very depressed I was then seeing two counselors, making me miss more school I failed my grade and had to repeat it, August 2013 I started school and got made fun of everyday this is when the cutting began. I told my parents and they told the school and my counselors, they sent me to a physiatrist and I was put on an antidepressant, it did not help me in any way and only made things worse, I was failing almost all my classes at this point and felt as if I was a failure, there were days id be okay and others I would feel like dying.. I’ve slowly been getting better and trying to focus on the positive things but it’s not too easy.

It’s an everyday battle and I’m praying I make it through it. I now am seeing two counselors, on two antidepressants, and trying to be happy. I’m trying to raise awareness about bullying, I have a job going to schools and talking to the kids about self-harm and bullying, I have also talked three people out of suicide, and I think what you’re doing is an amazing thing.”

– Kala 15

It has been said that a man’s actions are the best interpreters of his thoughts. Today we challenge you to think about your children and the environment you would want to create for them. Now consider providing this same environment for every child across the world. Consider becoming a partner with Megan Meier Foundation and help us cultivate an environment of love for all children.

#ThinkActChange #LiveCampaign

*This is a real story, shared in confidence from one of our followers. Please note that names and photos have been changed to protect the identity of this individual. Thank you for your support.

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National Suicide Prevention Line

If you or someone you know is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress please call:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
The call is free and available 24-hours. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.